Have you heard of the Canadian insurance company offering a new mobile app that can judge your driving behaviour and offer you discounts on your premiums?
Well, think twice before you download it, says one privacy lawyer.
The app is free to download on any iPhone or Android device, and as soon as it's installed, it can begin to evaluate your your driving performance.
The privacy lawyer recommends that users have a full understanding of just what kind of information the app will be storing, and how the insurance company plans to keep your data private and secure. Users should also be aware of the length of time the data will be kept.
The lawyer clarifies that although the insurance company is in full compliance with Canada's guidelines and codes for personal data storage and acquisition, users should still think of "the bigger picture".
Parents, having your teenager drive for the first time need no longer be such a worry.
General Motors is coming out with new technology geared towards teen drivers.
Their 'Teen Driver' system launched at the New York Auto Show, and 2016 Chevy Malibu's will go on the market with this built-in driving system.
The goal of this new technology is to encourage teens to develop safe driving habits by monitoring trips taken, and then producing a 'report card'. It will include information on maximum speeds, distances driven, and how many times safety systems were engaged during the drive. The system will also include parental controls, allowing parents to set the maximum speed for the vehicle, which will set off alarms and visual warnings if exceeded.
Despite this useful step in driver safety technology, nothing beats teaching your kids how to drive safely and carefully. In fact, experts agree that basic skills should be acquired before beginning to rely on any technology.
Gas prices are expected to jump this week by at least 2.5 cents.
Apparently, the market is extremely volatile at the moment, and any hike in prices is unlikely to last.
The cause of this shift in pricing is due to the transition from winter to spring. This affects the type of gasoline sold at the pumps, because winter gasoline is cheaper to make than summer gas.
Have you ever heard of the One Price, One Person sales tactic now being employed by car dealerships?
Basically, this sales tactic is aimed at the savvy consumer who's done their research beforehand, and knows what they want.
Throughout the entire purchasing process, one sales employee handles the whole transaction, from financing to service contracts.
The price posted is the price you pay. With this new trend in auto sales, you don't have to haggle. The sticker price is the final price, it's as simple as that.
All rates for loaning, financing and leasing are up-front and transparent, with no hidden fees or costs, and are completely based on your personal credit score.
The sales team, although on commission, get the same flat fee no matter what kind of car you're buying. That way, pressure tactics and stress for either party is eliminated.
All of these new aspects of selling are designed to make the experience a much more pleasant one for the consumer, allowing them to concentrate on what they really need in a car, versus pricey extras they might otherwise be pushed to purchase.
The question now is, does this new tactic make sense for you, the Canadian buyer?
Here's a unique retro find that some of you might remember!:
It's Blinky the Police Car! Since the 1950's onward, Blinky the talking police car has educated children about road safety. Blinky was originally a yellow Plymouth Fury, a.k.a. a standard issue Toronto Police vehicle back in the day. Today's version of Blinky is a 1987 Plymouth Caravelle with facial features such as eyes that move and blink, and a long, pink nose. Whether or not the car still exists intact is unconfirmed, however the car used to make occasional appearances in parades. Since the car was immobile, it had to be towed behind more modern, functioning vehicles. Do you remember, or know about, Blinky? Or do you just think he looks really creepy? Let us know below!
